New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-11
NEW PLAN OF A SYNDICATE.
MONOPOLY OF ROOF AND PAVING PITCH
ADDING HEAVILY TO THE COST OF BELGIAN BLOCK


ADDING HEAVILY TO THE COST OF BELGIAN BLOCK
PAvEMENTs.
CHICAGO. Sept. 10 tSpeciah.-" The Chicago Trib-
une" to-day has q long article on the schemes OF
Mcssrs. widener, Elkns & Yerke-, of Philadelphia.
-bioh purports to show detail how the syndicate
is fast getting control Of street railways, gas COM
pan'es and numerous other compauies In all parts OF
the country. Some OF the assertions made in tie
article substantially as 10 lows:
The syndicate OF Which Messrs Wiuener and Elk ins
the head has $35 5000 invested in street rail
way stocks construction companies IN The cities OF
Phiadrlohia, New fork, Boston and Chicago Ii
s the ntention to push their cbrmes as tar as posi-
BILE and 10 capture the street rail way systems ct every
large city In the country. The plan by which nouey
is made out thes IL TO lease the operating
companies, then vote large bucks OF the stocks OF
these latter companies to the Indicate for its lab0rs
and advances, auJ then 20 kindly hand the sIook
thus vo ed over to confding and unsaspectIng
pnIs .nd hs z, shares Se
fist construction comptny organized In Che go
without having to expend one penny. nearly all the
money for the deal having been raised by John Law
Ter Welsh oil Philadelphia. Ii is surmsed that there
is bitch in the latest attem at deal by the syndi
cate-the purchase OF the West side road. When Mr..
Widener arrive.i IN Philadelphia last Weok he was
qu-st oned concerning the venture and curty replied:
The newspapers know more OF that matter than
do"
Apart from the horse railroads, the syndicate seeks
o rontrol the gss and electric lighting OF Chicago
When the mask s thrown oil there i'll be fouDd be
hind the Chicago Gas Trust. that giant corpo' alton
and the direct creature OF the Stand rd OIL Company
the United Ga- Improvement Company OF Pbilade-
his Tbis coueerU fo-ai owns and controls the gas
works In thrty.two OF the principal cites OF thr
country IL to hold ali the gas works. and TO
be ready to gobble up all the electric lighting COM
panc-. Incandescent or otherwise aud thus be able to
Bx such tarib suits Its managers William l..
Ekins is principal figure in the United Gas Improve
ment Company. IL s one OF his babies, and he mas
nuItured it carefully The head OF the concern is
GEORGE 3. PhIller, PRESIDENT OF the First National
Bank oi Philadelphia, which institution Is the de-
postory for nnd the hacker OF tho syndicate in lis
various deals. The bold assault made by the syudl-
cato TO capture the gas works OF Philadelphia Is still
fresh in memory
The new scheme whica needs attention is the
American feiing Con pany and the United Refining
COMPANY twins that have levied tribu te upon every
rooier and contractor that has undertaken TO lay
belgian block pavcments in the country George ID.
Wii,uer aud George w. Elkns are the Representa-
tives OF their families in these concerns, Horace W.
Fowler of New-iork. ia the manager OF the pool The
syndicate incidues tho cities of Chicago, st. Louis,
Erie. BrookIyn. Philadelphia aud several others.
Not o poand of roodng pitch, not yard OF ielt
roofing paper snd not gallon OF PAYERS pitch can
be obiained In this country Mess Messrs. Widener
and Ekns raise their fingers and give permission 'or
its SALE The granite Belgian block pavements re-
Gently laid in Chicago would have cost from 81 to
81 90 per yard less but for this monopoly and the toll
exacts Roofing and paviers pitch are made from coal
ess tar. The w'dener and Elkins syndicate, con
trolling nearly all tie gas works In the COZ nry them
selves and having contracts with tDose hey co not
control Tor the gas tar have been enabled to build up
thrs great monopoly Paviers' pitch that costs the
syndcat 80 cents barrel to manufacture is sold ny
its agents at from 20 to $i per barrel The price
formerly 90 80 per barrel, out the great demand
III recent years tor Belgia1 block pavement' mas
cansed immense cor sumption oil the pitoh when IS
poured between tbs cracks OF the rows oil blocks ~
pool restricts the manufacture. Last year 3O.OOo
barrels oi pitch burned 10 Phiiadelphia by order
OF e pool 'er, sc q. to prevent t,e market DO,
coming overstocked. William n kenble Is credited
with many things in which he has No Interest With
his partners. Kemble cvnfn-s himself strictly 10
rail- oad deals Messrs. Wdener and Elkins have
ne yer done ANYTHING that would bring them before
court oil Justice. They have in their employ retinue
OF the highest paid attoi neys in tho country.